Is there really such a thing as a “guilt-free” drink?
This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.
We’ve all seen the labels: “Sugar-free” “Zero calories”. But are those artificial sweeteners really harmless?
Enter Charlotte Debras and team from Sorbonne Paris Nord University. They tracked over one hundred thousand adults for more than a decade! Participants reported everything they ate and drank, including products containing sweeteners. The researchers looked at their health outcomes.
Results? People who consumed more sweeteners had higher risks for strokes or other brain-blood events! About thirty percent higher!
Looks like Diet Coke isn’t so guilt-free after all. With sweeteners in thousands of foods…
Maybe it’s time to tame that sweet tooth — for real!
Reference: Debras C, Chazelas E, Sellem L, et al. Artificial sweeteners and risk of cardiovascular diseases: results from the prospective NutriNet-Santé cohort BMJ 2022; 378 :e071204 https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2022-071204